Surging oil prices pushed the U.S. trade deficit wider during April as both imports and exports surged to record levels.

The U.S. Commerce Department said the deficit in international trade of goods and services increased 12% to US$56.96 billion, up from a downwardly revised US$53.56 billion in March.

Imports rose 4.1% to US$163.38 billion, led by a 4.3% jump in petroleum imports, while exports rose 3% to US$106.42 billion, as U.S. demand for a range of foreign-made goods from engines to computer chips soared.

The increase in the trade deficit was less than analysts had forecast. Economists had expected the deficit to balloon to $58 billion.

The U.S. trade shortfall with China widened 14% to US$14.72 billion from March’s US$12.90 billion.

Deficits with other major U.S. trading partners were mixed, Commerce said. The deficit with Japan fell to US$7.18 billion from US$7.83 billion in March, while the gap with the euro area was virtually the same at US$6.93 billion. The deficit with Canada widened to US$5.44 billion from US$5.03 billion.

The U.S. gap with Mexico rose to US$4.40 billion from US$4.26 billion.

Separately, the U.S. Labor Department showed that some of the price pressure pushing the trade deficit eased in May. Prices of imported goods fell 1.3%, the first decline since December, as imported petroleum prices fell 6.5%.